With God's grace you shared your faith, strength, and service, which resounds in the heavens. Your love for us will endure in us forever.

Today is a hard day and a special one. A day to celebrate the life of our mother, Sarah Magdalene Flores. Daughter to Rose G. Martinez, lovingly  known to us as “Nana”. Sister to Rosemary Bencomo, lovingly known as our Auntie Rosemary. Wife to her beloved husband George R. Flores for whom she lovingly  missed deeply. Mother to her 5 special and loving daughters, Jeannette M. Flores, Michelle C. Ruiz, Yvonne T. Cordura, Josette M. Flores, Lucretia F. Anton, whom she taught to be brave, strong and true. Mama Sarah to her nieces and nephews. Mother-in-law to Eddie Ruiz, Efren Cordura, and Renato Anton. Grandmother to 11 and great grandmother to 4 wonderful children. Friend to many special people. She did things with her whole heart, a woman of faith and a woman of service to her church and community.

She was born in Los Angeles and attended local schools and received her degree in education at Los Angeles city college becoming an integral part of the Los Angeles community. As the eldest child of her family, she became head of her household. Lovingly assuming the responsibilities at the age of 17 with the instilled values of hard work and dedication which helped guide her life. Our mother taught and did bookkeeping at church. She always spoke of her church service fondly. The nuns and priests in her life had a special place in her life.  

Mom worked hard at climbing the ladder at work to break the glass ceiling which tried to keep her down. She did this with so much strength, courage, determination, heart and with her values intact. She joined the ranks of Los Angeles County Government where she proudly worked for 35 + years. She began as a secretary, advanced to executive secretary and continued to March up her ladder to Assistant Chief Deputy as well as an Assistant Supervisor of LA County. For her years of dedicated service our mom has won numerous awards and accolades which she humbly accepted and cherished. Serving her community, the church, and her family has always been her priority.

Every wall she came to she faithfully with strength and determination climbed over or broke down. Paving the way for other women and showing her daughters the possibilities of hard work. She has lovingly advised us over the years to “Don’t be afraid to risk and lose. Each time you lose you learn.” She instilled in us the will to survive and be the best that we can be and to not let anyone bring us down. She has also said “ Many have tried to kill me, but I will never die” she wanted us to win in this war of life. To stand back up and keep fighting with The Lord by our side. 

Today we have to lay this amazing woman we lovingly know as our Mother to rest beside our father, her long time love. Thinking of her holding his hand again warms our hearts. Together they will watch over us and guide us from above. It is a moment she longed for, a moment we dreaded for losing her from our life has been an unbearable thought for us. Yet with all our love and faith we do so lovingly. 

She has told us that God gives us what we can handle and that He will be with us through it all. I truly believe this for He has always helped me through my life and I believe in my sisters lives as well. We are so grateful for all you gave us mom, for all you instilled in us, showed us, believed in us. Thank you Lord for blessing us with our mother to love us through this life. We will miss deeply her physical presence in our lives, her silliness that made us all smile and her love that warmed our hearts. 

May god be with us all and help us through this pain.

Thank you all for being here with love.